Thx for the Reply BillG. I was shocked to hear Penta had all these problems. From what i understand the whole idea of the system was easy installation and efficiency. And i will be honest out of all the systems out there Penta would be the one i would have the best luck of installing correctly. I am not in the boat industry just curiosity and a very expensive hobby :). still saving though i have yet to get a definite price on a pair of them.
1. If the hose connection O-Ring plugs don't leak, how come you redesigned them with a new plugless approach?
2. If the laser welding process provided "inconsistent welds," then how come you continued to ship units that had leaking welds. Obviously this owner is experiencing inconsistent welds in the field.
It's nice to move forward with technology and it sounds like Volvo is moving in a smart direction that reduces the footprint of the hydraulic system. However, there were serious engineering and manufacturing issues that were not completely resolved before this unit went out into the field. And, when the issues became apparent, there was no recall to correct the systems leaking hydraulic fluid in rivers and lakes.
The design and manufacturing processes were broken. Unfortunately, no one at Volvo chose to stand up and say "Hey, wait, STOP THE PRESSES! We have a problem. Let's fix this before we ship more leaky units!" Apparently no one stood up and took responsibility to stop the line and fix the problems. That's a shame.
I did finally recieve a ticket number to have it repaired again last month. after months of no replies to calls and e-mails to the Rep. This of course doesn't reimburse me for taking it to the repair dealer in another state, the two years paying $2000.00 for a private in-water slip that I couldn't use. and yes the hose connections are leaking, and the fact that you said that there isn't any field problems is an issue in itself. So, how can Volvo make me a happy customer, after all, I initially choose your product over Mercruiser. greer.dr@pg.com
Hello from Volvo Penta Engineering.First, let me assure everyone that real people, not monkeys, designed the external style trim system complained about in this article.We, too, were unsatisfied with the field experience and re-designed the system consistent with our ISO 9001 philosophy.
To improve the trim system for our SX drives, Volvo Penta moved the entire system outside of the boat for several technical reasons:
·The entire system can be assembled in a very clean hydraulic facility and shipped to the assembly plant filled with oil and tested. This was not possible with the old system.
·There are one third fewer hydraulic connections to fail.
·The entire pump and motor assembly are now in a sealed compartment – much more protected than it was in the back of the engine compartment.
With the original external system, the welding process of the plugs was a laser process, not an ultrasonic weld process, and the material content of plug and housing is the same except for color. This process was fully compatible with the materials being used; unfortunately there were manufacturing quality issues that were difficult to control which resulted in inconsistent welds. The hose connection to the pump and cylinders has not been a quality issue in the field.The hose connection uses an O-ring for sealing and is a design currently used in automotive and medical applications with excellent reliability. Nevertheless, a leaking plug is sometimes misdiagnosed as a leaking hose.
Two years ago Volvo Penta eliminated the plugs in the newer external design, effectively eliminating the plugs as a failure mode.Replacement components for Volvo Penta trim system incorporate the newer design without plugs for improved performance and overall satisfaction for those older engines in the field.
Please accept our sincere apologies for your disappointment with our external trim system design.As you know, design is an evolutionary process and better designs arise from mistakes along the way.We are confident in our newer external design trim system and think it matches the quality, durability and performance of your Stingray and the rest of your SX drive system.We encourage you to go back to your Stingray and give it a try.
You just gave us insight on a similar problem we were experiencing while molding in a nylon overmolded connector into an ABS cover. Our mold house didn't take in account the temperature difference in melt temperatures between nylon and ABS.
We resorted to backfilling the rear of the connector with epoxy to lock the connector in place and stop a leak path.
Water-based hydraulic systems usually require different materials, because corrosion is always a concern in hydraulic systems. You can get away with using just water if the system only has to function once. Rust can lock up almost any hydraulic system very thoroughly. What the problem sounds like is that no consideration was given to the possibility that the system might be serviced instead of being replaced. Some groups feel that change is always good, while others realize that possibly a change might be an improvement.
Why is oil necessary as the operating fluid? Why not use a hydraulic fluid that will not pollute? Like, water? If the system leaks, a jug of distilled water can be used to fill the resevoir. Or for drinking.
The external placement of hydraulic trimmers for stern drives is not a new design. Several manufacturers, including EVINRUDE & JOHNSON (same company ... OUTBOARD MARINE CORP.) placed the hydraulic pumps externally. In the case of the outboard motors, this was done to eliminate the extra thru-the-hull piping necessary to implement the feature. It was in the 1960s that engines were getting larger physically, & powerwise. It became an impossible task to grab the cowling of the engine to tilt it upward.
Obviously, much of the design philosophy regarding outboard motors was also incorporated w/ sterndrives. To compact the design, get the maximum utilization from the pump & minimize the piping, pumps were installed on the external bracketry of the I/O. Other reasons for keeping things "tight" was to lessen the chance for these appendages to snag anything that might be in the water, or close to a dockage.
Finally, when the term hydraulic is used, it is implicit that it is in reference to hydraulic oil, and not gasoline. Anyone reading this article would immediately understand that.
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